Women All Over New Zealand Wore Headscarves in Solidarity With the Christchurch Victims

Women across New Zealand are wearing headscarves in a show of support for the Muslim community, one week after 50 people were shot dead in two mosques in the city of Christchurch.

Women and children have posted pictures of themselves wearing headscarves on social media Friday, with words denouncing last week’s violence and expressing solidarity with victims of the shooting. “I stand with our Muslim community today and against hate and violence of any kind,” one Twitter user wrote.

Auckland physician Thaya Ashman told Reuters she thought up the “Headscarf For Harmony” event after seeing a Muslim woman on the news say she was too afraid to go outside wearing a hijab. “I wanted to say: We are with you, we want you to feel at home on your own streets, we love, support and respect you,” she said.

Last week, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was praised for wearing a black headscarf during her meeting with members of the Muslim community.

A female police officer also put a scarf on her head while she guarded the Friday prayer after the shootings.